Idea: Humanity-Hating Good Guy

[Leliel]

A recurring thought I've had since about six months ago was wondering what it would be like to play a trans-human consciousness; an AI that was originally human, but became a machine through advanced technology. Over many weeks of having this thought, I began to wonder about what a FMAI (Formerly Human Artificial Intelligence) would be like in a fantasy world. Coupled with my misanthropic tendancies, this beacame a desire to create a character who was still good, but wants to rid himself as what he veiws as "human"-letting emotions get in the way of scientific analysis, the inability to allow one's self to be uncertain about things that are always uncertain, logic being overidden by fear, etc.-Essentially, to become a perfect computer, one capable of feeling emotion, but with a mind completely uninfluenced by anything other then pramatism and a desire for the common good. Although he isn't a FMAI yet, he desperately wishes to become one.

So, is this a good idea?

Please post on this thread, eh? (Sorry about the "eh?", it's a leftover from my human days.)

[Bag_of_Holding]

A perfect computer that is capable of feeling emotion yet never lets the emotion get in the way of his thinking? That's just cold. Since he follows a strict discipline, I'd say he's definitely Lawful but working toward a 'common good' confuse me greatly.

Why is he working toward a common good, when he doesn't let the emotion get in the way? Wouldn't he more inclined toward greater good, as in something that may cost millions of lives (or something of that magnitude) but ultimately achieve a good deed? That's what I would've thought a character like that'd do; and he would definitely be Lawful Neutral.

Doesn't the word 'common good' already incorporate emotion-derived decision?


Well, that's my own opinion anyway.





p.s. on a side note, if the character is capable of fully embracing other people's emotion, the side that he so desparately wanted to get rid of himself, and accept them as they are, I'd say he's more onto LG side than LN.

[horseboy]

Sounds like a Straw Vulcan.

If you want a hero that hates humanity, just have his back story involve retail.

[Xuincherguixe]

If you want a hero that hates humanity, just have his back story involve retail.

Oh god. It's hilarious AND believable.

[Roderick_BR]

Something that sees emotions as a character flaw? Not bad.
For race, I could suggest using the warforged. You could use his creation rules to make your futuristic semi-machine character.

[Kol Korran]

the entire "emotions! pros and cons!" isworth it's own debate, but since that's not the purpose here, i'll let it go. one importent question in a fantasy game- are you hating the ideas of emotions? being of the "fleshy" races? or specifically humanity? (if so, you could also play a human who got reincranated as some other race, and came to see "the error of his/her race") i'l lassume the first idea is the one you're aiming for. a few ideas for your character:

1) Roderick (the post before mine) suggested a warforged. this is quite a good idea, and can take use several inspirations, and can develop in certain directions:
- if not playing on Eberron: the warforged (the race might have a different name there), is the product of a highly skilled/ talented golem maker. in this setting, you're probably a fiarly unique creation, and you can incorporate a fromer "human identity". (how your awareness got transefered to that body is part of your story). perhaps you volunteered, or even engineered this experminet? or were you "drafted"? your desireto become "emotionally dead", could stem from pre-construct or post- constrcut experience.

- in Eberron: a few major influences on roleplay- no one knows the source of warforged souls and personalities, they were used as slave sodiers when made, or at best property for the rich, and after the end of the last war they don't know what to do with themselves, while most other races resent them, if not openly hate them.
in this setting there are plenty of reason to disconnect or even hate the common races (hey, there are even two religions devoted to it- "lord of blades", and "the becoming god".. both of them might have some common ground with your goals, though not all...) i would suggest taking the cleric/ fvoured soul/ devine caster path, but make your own ideals and concepts (a method that is VERY common in Eberron)... work with your DM to create special domains, poweers, and spells ("calm emotions", "fox cunning", "owl's wisdom", a hefty bonus against all moral and mind effects and so on...)
The Eberron supplements also offer two other interesting ideas: the warforged juggernaut is a prestige class whihc melle inclined warforged take, becoming more and more contruct like, including shedding their "emotional self". you could easely alter this for other Character roles ("warforged wizardnaut"?) or copy "loss of emotions" stuff into your character, with jsut a bit of tweaking.
the other idea is more coneptual: in "Magic of Eberron" there is a prestige class called Renegade Master- basically, whese were artificers or wizards who decided that the warforged are "better", and thus started to make alterations to their body to become them.they replace their own body parts and anatomy to become more and more like their Ideals... now, you could use some of the material there (with alterations. i do think the prestige class is very poor mechanically), for your own- how far did your transformation go? (if you wish to start play as disillusioned, but still fleshy, then you can take both transformations- first of the rengade, then of the jaggernaut) are you allready "construct like"? or on your way? someone like this renegade master can be a friend, r contact, or perhaps even the one that made your transformation become true.

2) half golem- a good choice if you don't like the warforged.

3) classes: (i use mostly the core books, and i have almost no supplements. so many might suggest other ideas)
- divine caster, which doesn't commit to a god, or nature: you're path is spiritual (the choice to vut oneself from emotions is a highly emotional one). establish your philosopy, and wotk with the DM for everything else. one idea that may sound weird, butcan work, is the Spirit Shaman, with many changes of "fluff"- (the "spirits" you consult with or that accompany you are actually the depths of intellect and clarity yougain by your new philosophy, change chastise spirit to "chastisize" emotions for a sort of a harmfull bard song against creatures that feel, and so on).
- monk, but with a different focus, and powers.
- wizard: works well with the "intellectual" concept, but it doesn't realyadd anything. i'd suggest to take the specialist route then. (prohib: enchant, focus: divin or trans)

i don't have any other ideas at the moment... good luck to ya

[Xuincherguixe]

We don't know this is D&D even.

That the person says "Robot" leads me to think it's something else.

[Leliel]

We don't know this is D&D even.

That the person says "Robot" leads me to think it's something else.

Well, it could be, it could not be. I can easily adapt him to a fantasy setting: I can say he wants to be a golem-type being.

And yes, he understands that his path is not for everyone, even if he thinks they're idiots for not beleving similar.

[ashmanonar]

Oh god. It's hilarious AND believable.

Dude, I just got home from work. At a retail store. I'm laughing my ass off.

The worst thing about retail is the damn customers.